Weil am Rhein

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Weil am Rhein is home to the Vitra Design Museum.

Weil am Rhein is a German town and commune situated on the east bank of the River Rhine, and close to the point at which the Swiss, French and German borders meet. It is the most southwesterly town in Germany.

1 Geography
2 History
3 Twin towns
4 Tourism and leisure
5 External links

[edit] Geography

Weil am Rhein is located at 47°35′42″N, 7°36′39.6″E in the district of Lörrach in the Federal State of Baden-Württemberg. The French border is 4 km distant; the Swiss border 3km.

The city's location on the Rhine and proximity to the Black Forest give it a continental climate, particularly suited to viticulture.

The population in 2004 was 29,421.

[edit] History

The town is first documented in the year 786 as Willa, a name which is thought to be of Roman origin. Agriculture dominated local industry until the 19th century, when the city began to grow, aided by its favourable transport connections. A railway marshalling yard linking Weil am Rhein to Basel was built in 1913. Swiss textile factories were established in the Friedlingen quarter. 1934 saw the construction of a harbour on the Rhine.

After the Second World War the population again grew rapidly due to the influx of refugees and stateless persons. Between 1971 and 1975 the communities of Ötlingen, Haltingen and Märkt were incorporated and Weil am Rhein became a substantial town.

[edit] Twin towns

Weil am Rhein is twinned with the following towns:

[edit] Tourism and leisure

The premises of the furniture maker Vitra, featuring buildings by architects such as Frank Gehry, Zaha Hadid and Tadao Ando, are a attraction for architecture fans. The premises also include the Vitra Design Museum.
The Laguna water park